38 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



buyer had better obtain the professional opinion of a veterinary- 

 expert, whose knowledge and experience should be a reasonable 

 guarantee of protection from imposition and loss. Immense 

 numbers of horses are purchased on the understanding that 

 they will pass a veterinary examination, and the veterinary 

 surgeons who are entrusted with the serious responsibility of 

 examining them, are bound to use their best endeavour to 

 discharge this duty faithfully and well. A warranty of sound- 

 ness they cannot give, but they furnish a certificate stating 

 that their examination has had a certain result, which, so far 

 as their opinion goes, must be accepted as correct. The veter- 

 inary surgeon is the intermediary or arbiter between the 

 buyer and seller, but he is bound to protect the interests of 

 the buyer by candidly and truthfully giving his opinion. To 

 both buyer and seller this is a fair course to adopt, and greatly 

 facilitates business, while obviating recourse to the expensive 

 and unsatisfactory arbitrament of the law. 



